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Family

05/28/2012

We live continents away from our extended family. Among other things, this means we're raising our children without the support of family in the traditional sense (this also means that we've been out on about 2 dates in the past 12 years). This has it's positives and negatives. But, ultimately, it's all that we know. I've been fine with it until the past about 12 months - since then I get, occassionally, that longing... yearning for lineage.

And then, I have beautiful reminders.

Moments like this...

... afternoons surrounded by old friends.

Friends who have seen my highs and lows.. and love me in spite of it all.

Friends whose laughter and tears are all part of each other.

Intertwined and connected through time - simultaneously, where time is both finite and limitless.

04/14/2012

We spent Wednesday leisurely driving home. We had had two days of catching up with wonderful old friends about 5 hours north of where we live.

We took an exit at Fingal Head and found...

This was stumbled upon after walking upon sandy bush tracks which meandered in many directions. All the while native trees and flowering bushes beckoned us to play hide and seek along the way...

This is called Echidna Rock and is a sacred site to the local Bundjalung people.

All of those little segments are actually hardened lava. How incredible!

The lava beds that we were standing on weren't as worn down - a bit rougher and sharper. Obviously, the powerful sea isn't softening the edges as much as on Echidna Rock.

There is also a lighthouse here. Now operated by electricity.

The foundations of the old lighthouse keeper's house remains. We sat and pondered all of the life, laughter, love, sadness, challeneges, hope and prosperity which occured here, where trees are now standing amidst the remains.

The lighthouse keeper was actually born in the house and then went on the raise eleven (yes ELEVEN) children with his wife in the same house!

Imagine waking up to this view every day...

...and imagine what it must feel like in a storm, while you're trying to keep the lighhouse lit, all of the hours of the night.

We returned to the car in a shared silence wondering of times past and pondering our own present.

01/13/2012

Do you remember that bursting sense of freedom and "anything is possibleness" that you would feel on a summer day as a child?

For me, I think of sea salt dried on my skin, saltwater clumping my dried hair together. Feeling tired, yet strengthened from a day in the sunshine...

Well, it was that kind of day yesterday (except I'm 40 now)...

The children had been in and out all day. Alternating sunshine with the shade of the fig tree. The temperature was just right. Hot enough to be summer, but not so hot that I wished for summer to be over. The sky was blue and fiiled us with possibilities. There was even a gentle breeze.

Inspired, we all jumped into the car and headed to the beach for fish and chips. By the time our order was ready (which is another wonderful story), it was nearly dark. Undeterred, we walked over, spread out our blanket and enjoyed dinner, smiling and chatting with the last glimpses of the day.

Then, there it was again... that feeling...

"Let's go in the sea!" I found myself saying.

"MUM!" they replied, "IT'S DARK!"

"Exactly.... let's go..."

And we did.

And I watched the thrill of young girls stretching their own boundary. Their own comfort zone.

01/09/2012

As the excitement of making ended and the discussions of "where to sell the goodies" subsided, the gorgeous little creations had a long rest in a small red box.

Then, this past Saturday afternoon, they were remembered...

Chatter began, which led to inspiration, which resulted in the setting up of a trial stall in the driveway...

With confidence boosted and selling dreams restored, it was decided to take the next step and go to the local weekend market...

This was just after set up at about 7:30 AM (we left the house at 6:15 AM - thank you coffee)

They set out everything themselves and, though most of the profit was spent on shave ices (thank you for the "natural flavour" option mr shave ice man), we all left with full hearts.

The children left a littler taller, I think, filled with pride (and shave ices) at not only selling something they had made, but also at overcoming their fear to go and sell it in the first place. This was a sunshiney moment (and I was definitely one proud mumma)...

12/12/2011

Our oldest three occassionally have sleep overs at our next door neighbours.

This little fella is always very keen. In spite of his "I'm ready Mum!", I always think, "not yet".

The other night, we finally let him go (with his three big sisters) (very very kind neighbours) so that we could go out (shock! amazement! once in a lifetime event!) to a Christmas party (yes, we danced our socks off!).

The children headed over at 7pm.

This photo was taken at 9AM - all packed. Ready, waiting and a very keen bean.